Map light body is energized...

PurpleBeeper said:

Switch, wiring or the socket is touching a hot wire. I suggest you take it back out & look at it REALLY close. Maybe even start running some tests with an electric meter.

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Coronutcase said:

Are you using a standard incandescent bulb or a replacement LED?

I converted every single light (inside and out) on my 67 Coronet to LED's, but when I got to the dome light, I had exactly the same problem you described. With the LED replacement, the light stayed on all the time, even with the door switches deactivated and the headlight switch in the off position. When I put the original bulb back in, it was fine... only worked when you turned it on at the switch or when I opened either door. I'm still totally baffled and ended up putting the original bulb back in.

Here's an even weirder thing... I taped the entire housing of the LED bulb to eliminate metal making contact with the light socket, put it in (it went in hard due to the tape) and the light actually worked like it's supposed to. My dome light socket is a double contact socket, similar to an 1157 socket (turn signal) but not staggered. It's got to have something to do with the ground. Eventually the tape wore off and the LED stayed on all the time so I had to put the original bulb back in and now it works like it should.

Anyway, just thought I'd throw that out. I don't have map lights unless what you call the map light is what I call the dome light.

Good Luck and if anyone can explain my problem, feel free to speak up please!

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68gtxman said:

As I recall, map lights get ground from either of two ways: map light housing switch and the dome light jamb switches (which also includes the headlight switch’s rheostat). If any of these grounds are active, the map light bulb lights up. So if you are checking the map light bulb with your door open and the map light housing switch turned off, you’re still grounding it through the door jamb switch. Just a thought.

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Mr. Redi-Fix said:

Hey all!

I just installed a new bulb in the map light on my 69 Charger. It hasn't had a bulb in the socket since I bought the car. It worked perfectly until I touched the chrome map light housing to the metal dash as I was installing it. As soon as the housing touched the ground source, the light came on (with the switch off)! I checked and after it is connected, the housing has 12v running thru it. It even sparks when it touches the metal dash. Is this a problem with the switch? Anyone else ever see this? Thanks!

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